Dragon Age: Outsider
by PainInUrAft-Nexy
Summary: Nikita Petrovik is just a normal girl from an alternate reality where Dragon Age doesn't exist. Thrown into the world of Thedas, alone and shocked, she must make friends with the people around her to save her new home. Inquisition timeline; Spoilers abound. CullenxOC fic, NSFW in later chapters.
1. Arrival

**A/N: Hey guys! Thank you for reading. I've worked really hard on this fic, and I'm excited to get it out, so as of right now it's unbeta'd until I find someone who's interested! Inquisition spoilers will be inbound, but not readily. I'm trying to focus on the companions and Nikita's interactions with them, as well as her love interest. *Wiggles eyebrows***

**This will be an OCxCullen fic, and it will be a slow burn. I was also planning on making it pretty NSFW, but not until much later. This is a pretty extensive fic, and it should run pretty long. This is the shortest chapter but the others are running much longer so far. I ask that you make it to the second or third chapter to give it a chance, unless it's unbearable. Thank you again!**

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><p>The first thing her groggy mind registers is the cold biting at her face. She sucks in a breath and opens her eyes in a panic, only to find her hands in shackles. Pain registers in her left hand and she stares at it for a moment before it flares green. An angry red line stares back at her.<p>

The door flies open with a thud and Nikita vaguely recognizes she is not alone in this room. Guards surround her with swords pointed at the ready and a scarred woman walks in proudly, anger bubbling from her like a tempest. A second, quieter woman walks in behind her and with a motion of her hand the swords go back in their sheaths.

Adrenaline floods through Nikita's veins. Swords and armor? Where the hell _was_ she?

"Tell me why we shouldn't kill you now," the woman demands angrily, circling her like a predator. "The Conclave is destroyed. Everyone who attended is dead. Except for you." She pauses in front of her, staring down at her accusingly.

Nikita looks around at the guards around her. Faces pale. They're nervous. She tries to connect the words to memories in her head but it doesn't work.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She makes eye contact with the scarred woman that walked in first and frantically looks to the other for assistance. "Where am I? I don't know where I am."

"Explain _this_!" The woman grabbed Nikita's hand and it flared green again, fire shooting through her nerves. She grunts in pain as her hand is slammed down and connects with the hard stone ground.

"I can't!" She begins to plead, "Please, I don't know what that is or how it got there!"

The woman lurches forward, hands ready to strike out. She makes a slashing motion with her wrist. "You're lying!"

The silent woman intervenes, grabbing the angry woman's shoulder gently and pulling her back, away from Nikita. "We need her, Cassandra." Her voice is soft, reasonable. Nikita looks to her pleadingly, getting the impression that the woman wants to hear nothing of what she has to say.

"Please, can you tell me where I am? What's going on? I don't understand!"

The quieter woman moves towards her. "You remember what happened?" she demands almost haughtily, and continues, "How this began?"

Nikita closes her eyes in a desperate attempt to remember _anything._ "I was at home, then I remember… running." She pauses. In her mind's eye she sees spiders but they look wrong. Giant and distorted. "Things were chasing me and then… a woman?" She struggles to grasp at the threads of the memory but can only seem to remember the sickening stench of the green mist swirling around her and a woman seemingly made of light.

She opens her eyes. "She reached out to me…" She searches the other woman's eyes for any acknowledgement that what she said is right.

The other woman, Cassandra, moves forward again, seemingly calmed by this information. She speaks quietly. "Go to the forward camp Leliana, I will take her to the rift."

Cassandra reaches down to unlock her shackles and motions for the guards to go. Nikita rubs her wrists and stares at the long scar on her hand in shock. Cassandra motions for a guard to bind her hands with rope and then grabs her shoulder forcefully and pushes her ahead down a hallway, the accompanying guards behind her. The other woman's strides are longer, more self-assured than her own and she struggles to keep up. "What did happen? Where am I? Why won't anyone answer any of my questions?"

Cassandra pauses for a moment, almost imperceptibly and regards her for a moment, seemingly searching for something before speaking. "It will be easier to show you."

Nikita furrows her brow in confusion and squints when the bright sunlight hits her eyes, and shivers when the even colder air hits her. Her eyes adjust and take in the rustic surroundings, wooden barricades made of cut down trees and logs, little buildings shabbily constructed of poorly cut wooden planks and stone. Her breath catches in her throat when she looks up to the sky and sees the big green glowing _hole_ there.

Cassandra searches her face once more, looking for something. She speaks again, slowly. "We call it The Breach."

Words escape Nikita as she stares at it and her mind runs to catch up with her. Cassandra takes this silence as a sign to continue. "It's a massive rift into the world of demons that grows by each passing hour. It is not the only such rift. It is, however, the largest. All were caused by the explosion at the Conclave. Unless we act it will swallow the world."

At this moment the giant gaping hole chose to explosively stretch even farther into the sky, and her hand feels as if it's caught fire again. She falls to the ground, tears brimming in the corner of her eyes.

Cassandra leans down to her her level and speaks softly. "Each time the rift expands your mark spreads." She pauses once more. "It is killing you. It may be the key to stopping this, but there isn't much time."

The words seem to echo in Nikita's ears for a moment and she stares at Cassandra's face, and the emotions playing across it.

Distrust. Fear. Anger.

She looks at the ground and tries to stand, the pain in her hand abating. She looks toward the sky again, mind full of unanswered questions. A guard shifts nervously at her side.

"I don't… know where I am. Do you think I did this?"

Cassandra stands as well, eyeing the breach momentarily as she speaks. "We are in the Frostback Mountains, near the Temple of Sacred Ashes. Where the Conclave was to be held." The hard look returns to her eyes.

The cold starts to affect her and Nikita begins shivering. "I'm not the best at geography, Cassandra, but I've never heard of any Frostback Mountains in America."

Cassandra's brows furrow in confusion. "America? I've… never heard of such a place. You're in Ferelden. You don't remember coming here?"

Her skin grows warm as adrenaline floods through her. "America, you know star-spangled banner? Red, white, and blue, none of that rings a bell?" She started to laugh little hysterically. "Ferelden. What kind of made up name is that? Seriously where are we?"

Cassandra stared at her, at a loss for words.

"What year do you think it is?" She replies after a moment.

"2014. It _is_ 2014 right?" She asked, hope evident in her voice. Cassandra shook her head.

"The year is 9:40 Dragon."

Nikita looked around for any clues that Cassandra was lying to her. She didn't need much more proof than the hole glowing in the sky. She took a steadying breath and wiped her still bound hands across her face.

"This is going to sound crazy to you Cassandra, but I didn't make that thing," she pointed as best she could, "And I don't think that I'm in the same world anymore."

Cassandra seemed to take this in and then nodded solemnly. "Then they are right. Andraste herself has delivered you to us." She looked her over once more. "Come. We must make haste to get to the breach." She pushed her forward bodily towards a camp.

Nikita stumbled slightly, Cassandra's hand on her shoulder and walked her through the camp. People stood and watched her as she stumbled, confused and disoriented. They scowled at her and shouted as if she were some sort of criminal. She willed her legs to move faster but held her head high, not wishing to show the mob her fear. Cassandra began speaking once more.

"They have decided your guilt. They need it." People shouted and shook their fists at her as Cassandra pushed her along towards a bridge. "The people of Haven mourn Divine Justinia V. It was Most Holy's conclave you destroyed. It was a chance for peace between mages and Templars." Her voice broke and she stopped speaking for a moment. "She brought their leaders together. And now they are dead."

They arrived at the base of the bridge and Cassandra turned towards her and withdrew a knife from her belt. Fear exploded in her and Nikita took a step backwards. Cassandra scoffed and grabbed the ropes, cutting them in one swift motion.

"Mages as in people who use magic? You have _mages_?" Nikita inquired with an air of panic.

Cassandra leveled her with a look of distrust and motioned ahead for her to walk across the bridge.

"Yes. People who have magic go to a circle tower when their… abilities show. You really do not know this? Templars are knights who can take away mages powers. They are for their protection, or so they tell us." They started walking up the path. Nikita was rubbing her wrists together.

"I'm from a place called Earth. I lived in a country called America, and we were much more…" she paused and glanced at Cassandra's sheathed longsword. "…Advanced." She glanced nervously up at Cassandra's eyes again only to see her staring at her with a cynical expression. "But there's no magic."

"A world with no magic. You must tell me about it if we survive this. Come. We are on borrowed time already."

They continued walking. "Who put me into this armor? Last I can recall I was in something else entirely."

Cassandra shouted at the soldiers to open the doors at the end of the bridge before she continued speaking.

"When you fell from the rift and the soldiers found you, that's what you were in. Perhaps someone is looking out for you." Cassandra glanced at her out of the corner of her eye and started marching up the path. "Your mark must be tested on something smaller than the breach."

Nikita looked down at the still angry red scar on the palm of her left hand and flexed it a few times, feeling how stiff and sore the skin was there, before following behind Cassandra past the tone doors and onto a wilderness path. She started her way up it, past the barricades and flames and paused when she saw the bodies littering the ground.

Cassandra ran into her and leveled her with a penitent stare.

"Move." She said harshly, pushing Nikita forward. Nikita stumbled and looked towards the sky as she hurried past the bodies. She was hurriedly walking forward when the Breach expanded again, setting her hand aflame. She fell to her knees in the cold snow. Cassandra walked up to her and helped her up, patting her shoulder in what Nikita assumed was a comforting way.

"The pulses are coming faster now. The larger the breach grows the more rifts open and the more demons come into our world."

"There are demons coming out of the rifts and… Doing what?" Nikita questioned slowly as they started to walk on, hand throbbing dully in the cold mountain air.

"Slaughtering our soldiers while we stand around making idle chatter." The sound of thunder rumbled threateningly as if to prove her point. Nikita tried moving faster, boots trudging across the frozen path.

There was a moment of silence before Cassandra spoke again.

"They say you stepped out of a rift and fell unconscious. They say a woman was in the rift behind you. No one knows who she was. Everything farther in the valley was laid waste, including the Temple of Sacred Ashes. I suppose you'll see soon enough."

Nikita chose to keep her mouth shut this time as they passed more bodies and a green flare hit the entrance to another bridge in front of them. The people on the bridge were running towards the other end when another flare hit the bridge in the middle, causing the stone to shatter and the two women to tumble down onto the frozen river beneath them. Green crystals shot out of the ground and a creature seemingly materialized from the ground. Cassandra unsheathed her sword and ran ahead to attack it, shouting nothing more than "Stay behind me!"

More of the Crystals exploded from the ground where Cassandra was previously standing and another creature rose from its remnants. It appeared to have one eye, and its skin was a sickly greyish brown color, its long lean arms ending in claws meant for rending skin in two.

Nikita looked frantically around for a weapon as Cassandra was busy with the other creature and happened to see two daggers on the ground near her. She grabbed them and spread her legs apart in what she hoped was a defensive stance before the thing got too close to her. She lunged at it with the dagger and it lashed out with its claws, tearing a hole in the right arm of her armor, and scratching the skin of her arm. She grunted in pain but raised the dagger again, lunging for its eye and sinking it in deep. The creature screamed, its voice a two toned screech that hurt her ears before seemingly disintegrating back into the ground from whence it came.

Cassandra turned towards her, sword raised at the ready as she moved towards her shouting. "Drop your weapon. Now."

Nikita dropped the daggers and raised her hands in acquiescence, trying to show Cassandra more through actions than words that she meant no harm.

"There was a creature. It came towards me and you were busy. I'm sorry."

Cassandra sighed heavily and sheathed her sword. "Wait. I cannot protect you and I cannot expect you to be defenseless. Your life is threatened enough as it is. Pick them up, you will need them."

Nikita leaned down and picked them back up, watching Cassandra warily the whole time. "I don't know how to use them. I've never fought a day in my life, especially not with daggers."

Cassandra nodded knowingly and motioned towards a path on the far side of the river. "I will help as much as I am able." She dug in a pouch at her belt and retrieved 5 small bottles filled with a shimmering red liquid. "Take these potions. Maker knows what we will face."

Nikita nearly laughed at the sight of the bottles in her hand, but tucked them away in a pouch at her belt anyway. "Potions. Do they really work?"

She gave her a strange look and nodded. "You really aren't from here." Nikita shrugged.

The green balls of fire were falling more freely the closer they got to the breach, and the sounds of fighting were getting louder. As they rounded a hill, two more of the creatures appeared and started skating towards them, their long sickly bodies gliding effortlessly across the ground. Cassandra jumped off the hill and started attacking immediately, both of the creatures attention was focused on her. Nikita ran around behind them and slashed at what she hoped was their neck, and stabbed her blade deep into the creatures flesh. It let out a sickening screech and disintegrated as Cassandra easily cut the other in two.

She watched in awe, amazed by the strength of the other woman. Cassandra wiped her blade and sheathed it. "They are called shades. They are lesser demons, come from the realm of the Fade. They will be worse the closer we get to the breach."

As they pushed ahead across the icy river, floating figures the color of toxic sludge began throwing more of the green fireballs at them. Cassandra deflected the fire with her blade easily enough, while Nikita had to throw herself onto the cold ground to evade it. Cassandra grunted and heaved her back up onto her feet, moving towards the glowing green figure quickly to finish it in one fell blow.

This continued for a while, Cassandra mostly finishing the enemies in one or two hits while Nikita stumbled along and attempted not to get hit by the creature's attacks.

Not long after though, the party of two saw others battling the demons and arrived in the middle of a battle.

Floating in the air above their heads was a ball of green crystals, similar to the ones the demons had been coming from before. There were two humans, a short man with a crossbow that Nikita supposed was a dwarf, and a man with pointed ears and a staff shooting ice balls at 4 shades.

Her steps almost faltered at the sight of the elf preforming _actual_ magic, but she continued on diligently behind Cassandra. She rounded the first shade she saw, stabbing it in the neck and ducking as a different one clawed at her. She felt its claws snag in her dark hair and tried to roll away before the other human cleaved its skull in half.

She raised to her feet to see Cassandra and the elven man battling the other two off, with the help of the dwarf. They were dispatched quickly enough and the elf stalked towards her predatorily and grabbed her hand firmly, raising it towards the sky. Her mark exploded, causing the rift in front of them to close shut.

Nikita ripped her hand from his grasp and he turned towards her with a small smile on his face.

"What did you do?" She demanded.

The small smile was now a smirk. "_I_ did nothing. The credit is yours."

She looked down at the scar and closed her hand into a fist.

"You mean this." She stated dryly.

"Whatever magic opened the breach in the sky also put that mark on your hand." He paused, taking a step back from seeing her obvious discomfort. "I theorized the breaches could be closed by it. It seems I was right."

"Are you an Elf?" Nikita asked bluntly, put off by the whole situation. Cassandra butted in quickly from behind her.

"You mean it could close the rift too."

He was still smiling. "Possibly." His attention turned back towards Nikita. "It seems you hold the key to our salvation."

"Thank the Maker." The dwarf spoke, shouldering his crossbow and smirking widely. "Here I thought we'd be ass deep in demons forever." He turned his attention to Nikita and introduced himself. "Varric Tethras: Rogue, storyteller, and occasionally unwanted tagalong." He winked at Cassandra.

Nikita smiled at him. "You're with the 'Chantry' then?" Varric and the elf both laughed.

"Was that a serious question?" the elf joked.

Varric regained his composure much quicker. "Technically I'm a prisoner, just like you."

Cassandra spoke up. "I brought you here to tell your story to The Divine."

Varric chuckled. "Yet, here I am. Lucky for you considering current events."

Cassandra nodded and spoke once more. "I should explain something. The-" she stopped and blinked at Nikita. "I don't believe I ever asked you for your name."

Nikita looked at Varric and held her hand out to shake his hand. "Nikita Petrovik. It's a pleasure to meet you Varric."

The elf spoke up. "You may reconsider that stance in time."

"Aww, I'm sure we'll become great friends in the valley, Chuckles."

Cassandra moved towards him and made a slashing motion with her wrist. "Absolutely not. Your help is appreciated Varric, but-"

He cut her off. "Have you been in the valley lately, Seeker? Your soldiers aren't in control anymore. You need me." He smirk widely. Cassandra backed away from him and made a disgusted noise in the back of her throat.

The elf finally spoke up. "My name is Solas if introductions are to be made. It is good to see you lived."

"He means, 'I kept that mark from killing you while you slept.'" Varric said nonchalantly.

"As I was saying, _Nikita_," Cassandra butted in, "is not from Thedas. She claims to be from some country known as 'America.' She says her world doesn't have magic." She looked at Solas.

Varric chuckled again. "Hot damn, a world with no magic. So you really were hand delivered by Andraste?"

Nikita shrugged. "I don't even know who that is."

Solas shared a look with Cassandra and then nodded. "I could tell there was something different about you. The Fade shudders at your touch. I assumed it was because of the mark."

"You seem to know a great deal about it." Nikita stated blandly.

"Solas is an apostate, a mage outside of the Chantry's control. Well versed in these things."

"Technically all mages are apostates, Cassandra." He reminded her gently. "My travels have allowed me to learn the secrets of the Fade. Far beyond the experience of any circle mage. I came to offer whatever help I can give with the Breach. If it is not closed, we are all doomed regardless of origin."

"'Circle mage'? Why does your church control the mages? And put them in circles?"

Cassandra sighed. "I will explain once we have closed the Breach."

"Cassandra you should know this is unlike any magic I have encountered before."

She nodded once. "Understood." They turned to leave, assuming the other two would follow.

"Well," Varric spoke from behind Nikita, "Bianca's excited!" He then proceeded to follow after the others, leaving her alone with more than one question, but foremost was _who was Bianca_?


	2. Haven

The party continued on, even after running straight into a horde of demons. Varric spoke to Nikita inquiringly.

"So, are you innocent?"

"If you're asking if I blew up your temple, then no. I don't think so. One minute I'm sitting on my couch at home, watching TV, then bam! I'm surrounded by magic and demons and who knows what else. I don't remember what happened."

"That'll get you every time! Should have spun a story."

"That's what _you _would have done." Cassandra spoke dryly.

They stumbled into another batch of demons, and they fell into a sort of cadence. Cassandra took the lead, attracting the brunt of the attention while Varric helped her from the side. Nikita kept the attention of the others away from Solas while he attacked them from behind, she only getting a good hit in occasionally. They finished them off quickly and continued on like this until they arrived at the barricade in front of another bridge.

There was another bunch of crystals in the sky. The demons attention was focused on them as soon as they arrived and Nikita slunk around the side and raised her hand towards the minerals, absorbing some sort of energy into her palm. It stung like dipping her hand into a bucket of Ice water, but as the rift shrank she continued on.

Finally she feels a tugging sensation and ripped her hand away, causing the rift to explode and close completely. There is the sound of cheering. Cassandra yells, "The rift is gone! Open the gate!"

Solas tells her well done and Varric exclaims the usefulness of the thing on her hand as Nikita's heart sinks. There are more soldiers here, and Cassandra said she was awaiting some sort of trial.

Cassandra arrives at a table where a man dressed in brightly colored robes and Leliana were fighting. The man looks up with a sneer. "Ah here they come."

"You made it!" Leliana exclaims. "Chancellor Roderick this is-"

"I know who she is!" The red faced man interrupts vehemently. He turns to Cassandra.

"As Grand chancellor of the Chantry I hereby order you to take this prisoner to Val Royeaux for execution!"

"Order me?" Cassandra shouts, aghast, "You are a glorified clerk! A bureaucrat." Nikita begins shrinking into the background when Varric puts a consoling hand on her arm and shakes his head no. "We'll protect you." He says quietly under his breath.

She is suddenly thankful for the dwarf and his crossbow, though she doubts he would be able to save her from all the soldiers surrounding them.

"And you are a thug, but a thug who supposedly serves the Chantry!" He roars.

"We serve the most Holy Chancellor. As you well know." Leliana speaks quietly. She seems to be the voice of reason when all else have none.

"Justinia is dead!" He spits, and Cassandra and Leliana both flinch. "We must elect a replacement, and obey _her _orders on the matter!"

"You can't just wait that long to close a hole in the sky. Surely it won't just be a matter of days or hours to elect a replacement." Nikita speaks quietly.

The man glares at her vehemently. "_You killed everyone who was in _charge!" He shouts. And then takes a moment to collect himself. "Call a retreat Seeker, our position here is hopeless."

Nikita turns to the side of the bridge and tunes the arguing people out. The Breach expands explosively once more and her mark flares. Cassandra turns to her and asks "How do _you_ think we should proceed?"

She glances at the Chancellor, who seems to be more displeased than her that Cassandra was asking her opinion. She shuffles her feet nervously. "Whichever way has the least casualties I suppose. Enough have died for this already."

Cassandra nods and Leliana looks both pleased and surprised, though a mask quickly slips across her face as she sees Nikita looking at her.

"Leliana, bring everyone left in the valley. Everyone."

They continued across the bridge and the chancellor spoke. "On your head be the consequences Seeker."

They trudged up the mountain and joined the other soldiers, fighting for their lives against the demons. They reached a battle with multiple soldiers fighting underneath a small rift and her hand started to tingle. She jumped into the fight with the others and began draining the rift as fast as she could.

A single man in more finely decorated armor than the rest seemed to cut the demons around her down as quick as Cassandra, cleaving them in twain with one strike. She closed the rift quickly and stopped the demons from coming out.

Solas sauntered up to her side, towering over her by a head at least. "Sealed as before. You are becoming quite proficient at this." She smiled at him gratefully.

"Let's hope it works on the big one!" Varric chimed in cheerfully from her other side.

The soldier from before that was cutting the demons down before they got too close to her came to stand in front of Cassandra before speaking. "Lady Cassandra you managed to close the rift. Well done."

A wave of indignation flushed through Nikita's body and Cassandra spoke before she could tell him where to stick it.

"Don't congratulate me Commander, this was the prisoners doing."

His attention turned to her flushed and angry face and he smirked slightly. "Is it? I hope they're right about you." His face suddenly hardened. "We've lost a lot of people getting here."

She frowned and her blush deepened. "I can't promise anything but I'll try my best."

"That's all we can ask," He said gravely and nodded at her. She was struck with how handsome he was, even with a scar on his lip. He looked back to Cassandra and spoke to her again.

"The way to the temple should be clear. Leliana will meet you there." She nodded her assent.

"Then we must have time, Commander. Watch our backs."

The Commander looked each one of them in the eye. "Maker watch over you- for all our sakes."

He turned and helped a wounded soldier limp away. They went over the crest of the hill and continued on. Nikita covered her mouth in an attempt to block out the stench of burning bodies from the solidified ones around her, some still smoking and on fire, all of their faces twisted in a permanent horrified grimace.

"That is where you walked out of the Fade and our soldiers found you." Cassandra pointed. "They say a woman was in the Rift behind you. No one knows who she was." They continued on, into a hallway and past more dead bodies. Then they arrived at a gigantic rift. Huge crystals hung in the sky, floating in seemingly non-existent gravity.

"The Breach is a long way up." Varric said as a passing thought. Leliana ran up at that moment, a bit flustered.

"You're here. Thank the Maker." She breathed.

Cassandra nodded her acknowledgement of her and ordered her to have her men take up positions around the temple. Cassandra turns to Nikita with a determined look on her face. "This is your chance to end this. Are you ready?"

Nikita looked up at the sky nervously as she felt her mark vibrate with power. She looked back at Varric and Solas and back to Cassandra. She nods, albeit nervously. "I'll try but I don't know if I could reach that."

Suddenly a booming voice spoke. "Now is the hour of our victory. Bring forth the sacrifice."

Nikita's face hardened and she ran and jumped over the balcony, landing on her feet on the next, only to find no one in the vicinity. Cassandra thudded down next to her, and Varric and Solas took their time to come down more gracefully than the women before them.

"What are we hearing?" Cassandra wondered aloud.

"At a guess, the person who created the Breach."

Nikita searched for any signs of danger as she jumped from the second balcony to the ground.

The mark started to react to the tower of energy connecting the sky to the ground and Nikita raised her hand questioningly. Suddenly a woman's voice spoke. "Someone help me!"

Nikita's voice sounded shortly after, much to her surprise. "What's going on here?" Her voice demanded angrily.

Cassandra turned on her. "That was your voice! Most Holy called out to you!"

Suddenly their vision turned green and a vision of an older woman dressed in the same type pf robes as chancellor Roderick appeared, bound in some sort of energy. Soon after Nikita was seen walking in on some sort of ritual. A shadowy beings attention turned towards her dream self and calmly stated, "We have an intruder. Kill her."

The vision faded quickly, and Cassandra rounded on her, 6 feet of muscled fury.

"You _were_ there! Who attacked? And the Divine is she-?!" She turned to Solas. "Is this true? What is this? What are we seeing?"

"I don't remember!" Nikita raised her hands to her face and rubbed it across tiredly. She'd like to know as much as the next person what exactly she was doing here.

Solas spoke up. "Echoes of what happened here. The fade bleeds into this place. This rift is not sealed, but it is closed, albeit temporarily." He glanced at Nikita. "I believe with the mark the rift can be opened and sealed, however opening the rift could cause attention from the other side."

Cassandra shouted at the soldiers Nikita hadn't seen arrive. "That means demons. Stand ready!" Then she nodded at Nikita, who raised her hand high as she could and began pulling on the rift with her mark.

It exploded, and a huge Demon materialized from the rift, landing on its feet and glancing around its new surroundings. It roared and swiped at its purplish skin as the archers fired arrow after arrow into it.

"Nikita moved out of the way as it charged towards the warriors and raised her hand to the mark from the side, trying to close it as fast as possible. The soldier's attacks were bouncing off and not doing any harm. Cassandra yelled to strip its defenses and wear it down.

When the Breach exploded in a green ball of light, the demons barrier went down, finally allowing the attacks through. The soldiers cut away at the demons ankles, slicing away bits of its flesh at a time while Nikita drained the rift little by little and dodged the demons attacks.

They continued this process, fighting off demons and beating the larger one down, until the crystals were no more and the rift could be sealed. Nikita felt the pull of the energy on her mark and drained it further, her hand feeling as if it was catching fire. The rift exploded violently, but closed nonetheless. Nikita felt the blood rush to her face, and the next thing she knew she was laying on the ground.

She lost consciousness.

When she came to it was in a bed, in what appeared to be a small cottage. The door slammed shut and it surprised her, and she jumped up in the bed, glancing fearfully around her. A small elven boy jumped upon seeing her bolt upright and dropped the box he was carrying, as well as quickly falling to his knees in a show of submission.

"I didn't know you were awake, I swear!" He cried, nearly prostrate on the floor.

Nikita slipped off the bed and onto her knees in front of the boy. She held her hands up to show she wasn't going to hurt him. "It's ok, I didn't mean to scare you. Are you ok?" She asked, moving to touch his shoulder. He jumped backwards and up onto his feet.

"That's wrong isn't it? I said the wrong thing!" He was viciously wringing his hands together.

"I don't think so! Listen its ok I'm not mad at you!" She tried to reassure him. He threw himself on the floor again.

"I beg your forgiveness and your blessing Milady, I am but a humble servant." He begged, then stood up as quickly as he got down.

"They say you saved us." He stated quietly. "The Breach stopped growing, like the mark on your hand. It's all anyone has talked about for the last 3 days."

She breathed a sigh of relief and held her head in her hands. "You're saying they're happy with me."

"I'm only saying what I heard." He stuttered, "I didn't mean anything by it. I'm certain Lady Cassandra would want to know you're up. At once she said." He started turning towards the door.

"Where is she?" She asked quickly.

"In the chantry with High Chancellor Roderick. At once she said!" And with that he ran out.

She looked around the small shack, searching for anyone to speak to about leaving and decided to hell with it, she could find the Chantry. So she located the door and walked out into the cold, eyes adjusting to the different light.

A man saluted her on her way from the cottage, and she continued down the small path. The people around her looked at her with awe and reverence, sometimes saluting her, though some looked at her openly with distrust. After walking for a bit, she spied a large building in the center of the town, and started making her way towards it, looking for anyone familiar in the strange camp.

There was a woman in chantry robes standing in front of the door and she smiled warmly at Nikita.

"Is this the Chantry?" she queried.

The woman nodded and her smile grew warmer. "Maker's Blessing on you, child."

Nikita nodded back to her and pushed open the heavy wooden doors with the sun emblazoned across it.

Upon entrance to the darkened Chantry, she found a long hallway filled with hundreds of candles. She walked to the end of the hallway where one door awaited. She could hear Cassandra's and the Chancellors voice bellowing inside. She stopped outside to listen.

"Have you gone completely mad? She should be taken to Val Royeaux immediately to be tried by whoever is to become Divine!"

Cassandra spoke calmly. "I do not believe she is guilty."

"The prisoner failed, Seeker! The breach is still in the sky! For all you know she intended it to be this way!" He shouted at her.

Cassandra's voice was firm and resolute. "I do not believe that."

"Your duty is to serve the chantry." He hissed vehemently.

"My _duty_ is to serve the Chantry's principles, Chancellor. As is yours." It went quiet and Nikita pushed open the door, walking in.

Roderick reacts explosively to her presence. "Chain her!" He shouted to the guards almost dismissively. "I want her prepared for travel to the capital for her trial."

Cassandra was quick to intervene to the two guards. "Disregard that and leave us." They saluted to her and left, closing the door behind them. Nikita's face flushed slightly, feeling she was on the edge of being shipped to her death sentence. She glanced around the room and was surprised to see Leliana leaning casually against a wall.

"You walk a dangerous line, Seeker." The man hissed.

"The Breach is stable," Cassandra said looking at Nikita, "But it is still a threat. I will not ignore it."

Nikita shuffled on her feet and dared a glance at the angry Chancellor. "I tried to close it. I really did. It almost killed me." She met Cassandra's gaze. "And I still don't know why I'm here."

"Yet you lived. A convenient result insofar as you're concerned." Nikita flushed a shade deeper.

"Have a care Chancellor." Cassandra growled. "The Breach is not the only threat we face."

Leliana spoke up then. "Someone was behind the explosion at the conclave. Someone most holy did not expect. Perhaps they died with the others, or have allies who yet live." She looked at Chancellor Roderick meaningfully.

"_I_ am a suspect? But not the prisoner." He gasped, taken aback.

"You and many others." Leliana acquiesced with a nod.

"I heard the voices in the temple." Cassandra chimed in. "The Divine called to her for help."

"So her survival, that thing on her hand, all coincidence?" The Chancellor fumed.

"Providence. The maker sent her to us in our darkest hour." Her gaze never faltered and she sent Nikita a small smile. "From a different world, even."

The Chancellor scoffed at that.

"We lost everything." She spoke softly, almost wistfully. "Then out of nowhere, you came."

Leliana nodded. "The Breach remains and your mark is still the only hope of closing it."

Roderick's face blossomed red in anger. "This is not for you to decide!"

Cassandra stalked to a desk and pulled out a book, slamming it heavily on the table in front of him. "Do you know what this is Chancellor? It is a writ from the Divine granting us authority to act. As of this moment I declare the Inquisition reborn. We will close the breach we will find those responsible and we will destroy their order with or without your assistance." The Chancellor stalked out, slamming the door behind him at a loss for words.

Cassandra and Leliana talked for a moment more, and shared a smile before turning to Nikita. "How do you feel about all of this? Will you help us save our world?"

Nikita frowned at the two for a moment. She couldn't say no, not really. But she couldn't help but wonder why their grand authority seemed to pick _her_ for this job. She had no fighting experience, and hardly even any social skills to speak of. She looked at the women's hopeful faces and nodded once.

"But I want some damn _answers_ before I do anything else. I hardly know anything about the world I'm supposed to be saving, or how I got here." Cassandra nodded but crossed her arms.

"Fine. Ask away."

Nikita took a deep breath and leaned against the corner of the table, her muscles aching from resting for three days. She asked about the Conclave, what exactly it entailed and learned how circle mages were treated, surrounded by the Knight Templar order for their own safety. She was told a brief story of a woman named Hawke, and her companion Anders, who sparked a long brewing war between the mages and Templars. The Chantry and Andraste were briefly explained to her, sparing most historical details and giving her the bare necessities. They explained about demons, and their nasty habit of possessing weak mages, solidifying the argument for the Templars. Cassandra also gave her the bare necessities on the Fade as well.

"If you'd like more information, ask Solas. He is in the eastern part of the camp, and seems to be working on a theory how you were ripped from your world to ours." She nodded.

"Cassandra. This is a lot to take in. I'm not used to any of this. I can't even fight. How am I supposed to save the world?" She questioned grimly. Cassandra's expression hardened, but Leliana spoke quickly.

"I saw you using daggers in the fight earlier, you are quick and nimble and you have potential with them. We will talk to Cullen to see if they have someone who can spare some time to instruct you on the very basics at least."

Nikita didn't like the sound of that, but she felt she had no choice. It was either that or die. "Cullen? Have I met him?"

Cassandra nodded. "He was the one in the forward camp that we spoke to before we reached the Breach."

Nikita vaguely recalled his face and nodded her understanding. "I want to help you."

"Help us fix this before it is too late." Cassandra held her hand out to be shaken, offering her a true smile for once, though hesitant. Nikita took it and shook it firmly, giving her a wide smile in return.

They walked from the "war room" as they called it and walked quietly down the hallway, all of the soldiers saluting Cassandra as she walked by. She acknowledged them with a swift nod.

She motioned for the two to hang a left when they exited the Chantry, continuing down the trail until Solas could be seen, standing idly outside of a small cabin. When he saw their approach, he straightened and put his hands behind his back. "Seeker, and the Blessed Hero of Andraste. Is there anything I can help you with?"

Nikita groaned. "Please don't call me that. I was wondering if there was anything you could tell me about how I got here?"

Solas shrugged his shoulders. "I'm afraid I do not know. You could have simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time, or it could have been divine intervention as Cassandra seems to believe." He spared her a glance and she scowled at him. "Although I find that unlikely." Cassandra scoffed. "Either way, the Fade shudders at your touch. It is almost as if it knows you're not a part of our world." He hummed softly. "I believe the rifts opening in our world, triggered some sort of similar cross dimensional rift in your world, bringing you over to ours in the process. It would seem you have some sort of dumb luck. Or perhaps, from your point of view it would seem more… Tragic." He finished softly.

"The chosen of Andraste." He mocked slightly. "A blessed hero sent to save us all. What do you think?"

Nikita shuffled on her feet and kicked the dirt. "With all the weird shit I've seen the last few days, who's to say it's not some sort of Divine influence? I couldn't tell you either way." Solas nodded at this, seemingly pleased. Cassandra frowned slightly, but seemed to approve anyway.

"Every great war has its heroes Nikita. I'm curious to see what kind you'll be."

She pondered his words for a moment, staring at his bare feet seemingly unbothered standing in the snow. She grimaced a bit at his words and tried to hide it quickly, though she had no doubts he saw.

"Thank you Solas, I appreciate your willingness to answer my questions."

"If you need anything further, I will be here." He motioned towards the cottage and made his way inside, closing the door softly behind him. Cassandra spoke from her side, Nikita had almost forgotten she was there in her silence.

"Do you truly not believe that Andraste sent you?"

Nikita shrugged once, unbothered by the question. "In my world, there are a lot of religions and religious people. But we have no proof that our god was real, or ever was." She paused and thought for a moment. "Your world has more reason and rhyme to why you believe in your god, so I find it more plausible at least. But I can't really say I believe it one way or another. Solas makes good points." She looks at Cassandra apologetically out of the corner of her eye.

"I suppose I cannot blame you. I can only hope you continue to keep up appearances at least. The people need the morale boost." She paused for a moment in silent contemplation and then steered her down a few flights of stairs. She saw Varric squatting near a campfire and waved at him as they walked passed. He smiled in response.

"I am taking you to Cullen. The sooner we start your training, the better. You need to be able to protect yourself." They walked to the soldiers camps, where men and women of all races and genders were sword fighting. The sun was beginning to set as Cassandra approached the blonde from a few days before and he dismissed someone who was standing with him. Nikita noticed dimly how the sun glistened off of his armor. He turned towards Cassandra to greet her.

"Lady Cassandra. It is good to see you. Leliana told me you have reinstated the Inquisition." His eyes flicked to Nikita momentarily and he tipped his head at her in acknowledgement. "You must be the Herald of Andraste. I hope what they're saying about you is true."

Nikita shot a glance at Cassandra and shuffled her feet, uncomfortable with the faith these people had in her. "I hope what they're saying is true as well. Unfortunately, I believe we're here to ask you for weapon training, since I have none." She looked at his boots and wrung her hands in front of her.

Cullen looked at Cassandra, shocked. "She doesn't know how to fight?"

Cassandra clasped her hands behind her back. "Leliana believes she has potential with daggers, she held her own against the demons when we fought to close the Breach."

He nodded and his eyes scanned over her searchingly.

"At least buy me dinner first." She mumbled.

"Pardon?" He questioned curiously.

"Before you… Never mind. It's a joke from my world." Her eyes scanned his armor curiously, and she glanced down at her own clothes.

"Where did my armor go?"

A scout ran up to the Commander with some sort of report and his attentions was momentarily distracted.

"You were… unconscious and the armor was in the way. The healer removed it to make you more comfortable."

Nikita's face flushed and she turned her attention back to the Commander. "Right. Great. So when do we start fighting? It seems like I've got a world to save and…" She glanced at the swirling green hole in the sky.

"Not a lot of time." Cullen finished for her.

She nodded quickly, and he shuffles nervously. "I won't be teaching you. Captain Rylen will be in charge of your training." He waves to someone who crosses the courtyard quickly.

"Yes Commander?" The woman spoke, back straight and arms crossed behind her back. Nikita raises a brow at her formal behavior, wondering exactly how far up the chain these people around her were.

"The Herald of Andraste needs someone to teach her how to use daggers. You are proficient with daggers, are you not Captain?"

Rylen nodded once, sharply. "Yes sir." Her eyes flickered to Nikita. "I would be honored to assist you, Herald."

"Great!" She clapped her hands in front of her loudly once, making everyone flinch. There was an awkward moment of silence. "When do we start?" She questioned with false cheer.

Cullen glanced from Cassandra to Nikita skeptically and Cassandra shrugged.

"Right. Rylen, begin her training tomorrow. Get her as ready as possible in the next week. She's got a lot of work to do." His eyes searched Nikita's form once more, expression unreadable. He nodded once to Cassandra. "Lady Cassandra. Herald."

Hazel eyes met green and held for a moment before he awkwardly turned and walked through the ranks of his troops, analyzing them as they mock-fought. Nikita stared after him for a moment before turning to the other two women.

"How easy is that armor to get on?"

Cassandra made a noise in the back of her throat and nodded to the young Captain. "I have work to do," she looks at Rylen. "Good luck soldier."

Rylen salutes once more and then turns to Nikita, still in her formal position. "Herald?"

Nikita waves a hand at Rylen and watches Cassandra's retreating form. "You don't have to salute to me or treat me any differently than you would any normal person, Captain." Nikita looks away from Cassandra's back and looks Rylen in the eye, smiling. "Call me Nikita, please."

Rylen's posture loosened and she smirked softly. "Thank you ma'am. How far have you gotten in previous weapon training?"

Nikita rubbed the back of her head and moved towards the gates to retrieve her armor. "Before I fell out of the rift and landed here? Never held a dagger in my life."

Rylen pondered this for a moment, "Your parents never taught you?"

Nikita paused at the door of the small cabin, unsure if she should knock or just barge in. She looked at her companion, who was looking at her expectantly and pushed the door open, feeling the warm air hit her chilled skin.

"My parents… Weren't exactly fighters." She finishes lamely and looks around the room for the armor she had been wearing before. She spots a chest and goes over to open it with a muttered _Ah-ha!_

Upon opening it she discovers an intricately designed chest plate with matching gloves and boots, and a simple pair of leather leggings. She lifts the top piece up to inspect it and stares at it curiously for a moment. Rylen speaks up, "They custom-made that for you, ma'am, while you were sleeping."

Nikita turns the armor over in her hands for a moment, observing it carefully. Rylen speaks carefully. "Is it not to your liking?"

Nikita blinks and looks up at Rylen's face with a wry chuckle. "Worried I'll be displeased? Yesterday you people wanted to chop my head off for dropping from the sky." She finishes sarcastically and set it down on the table nearby. Rylen chooses to stay silent.

She heaves a sigh and moves to pick up the armor, offering it to Rylen. "Can you teach me to put it on? I've never had to wear armor."

Rylen's brow furrows deeply and she takes the offered armor, undoing clasps that Nikita had not seen there before. "Take off the jacket, you can leave the shirt on underneath for warmth. Also your boots."

They put the armor on carefully, Nikita doing the clasps Rylen shows her and pulling on her boots and greaves by herself. By the time she's done, the sun has almost gone down and Rylen still hasn't said a word to Nikita.

Naturally, Nikita assumes the woman is afraid to speak out to her because she's some sort of "Herald" to these people, dropped straight from the heavens into their palm. The tension is thick in the air. Rylen glances at Nikita every so often and looks at the ground, almost as if ashamed to be caught staring. Finally Nikita speaks up.

"Captain? You have something you want to ask me?"

The Captain opens her mouth to speak and then closes it, furrowing her brow in the process. After a long moment of silence she speaks quietly. "Where are you from exactly? Even Noble ladies are taught to fight at a young age, though some never pursue it heavily." Rylen looks ashamed, bowing her head after she's done speaking.

Nikita sighs heavily and sits on the bed, putting her head in her hands before she speaks. "I'm going to be straight up with you Captain, I'm not from Thedas." She pauses and looks up sharply at Rylen's confused expression. "This stays between you and I. It doesn't sound like your people approve of magic, and I don't know what brought me here." She pauses for a moment and assesses the other woman's face carefully. Deciding she was trustworthy, she continues.

"The last thing I remember before I fell out of the rift and woke up in shackles was sitting on my couch in my pajamas watching TV. I'm from somewhere called Earth. We don't have… Armor or swords. We have a military, but you get to choose if you want to go into it, and few do."

She stops to let the information sink in and watches as the woman's face spreads in a grin. "The Maker plucked you from a different world and sent you here to save us. You must truly be special Herald." She falls to one knee and crosses her hand over her heart.

Nikita rubs her face with her hand and sighs. "Yes, great. Now I'm stuck saving a world full of people who seemingly want to lop my head off, and I can't even put my armor on by myself!"

Rylen stands and looks her in the eyes, all traces of fear gone. "By my honor, Herald, I will teach you all I know so you can defend yourself." She pounds her fist against her chest in another salute.

Nikita nods resolutely at her and looks at the darkness encroaching upon the camp out of the window.

"Tomorrow morning I will wake you up and we will begin our training." Rylen turns towards the door to leave and salutes one more time. "Good night my Herald. You should practice putting your armor on by yourself," she says, borderline smug, and closes the door behind her.

Nikita flops onto her back and wonders how hard this is going to be for her.

She closes her eyes for a moment before opening them and and reaching down to fumble with the clasps on her chest plate. It's slow going but she eventually gets it and pulls it off.

She pulls the greaves off of her hands and sets the armor delicately in the chest she had retrieved it from when there is a knock at the door. She walks to it quickly and opens it to find the elven servant from before carrying a bowl of food and stuttering.

"Lady Herald! L-lady Cassandra told me to bring you s-some food. She wishes to see you tomorrow when y-you're done with your training." The elven boy has his head down submissively and Nikita's heart clenches for him.

"Thank you," she says, gently taking the tray from him. Before he can leave she motions for him to come in. "its cold outside. Would you like to come in?"

The boy looks up at her fearfully and takes a few steps back. "N-no my Lady. I have work to do!"

He dashes off towards the Chantry and Nikita rubs her hand across her face with her free hand. She turns back into the cabin and sits on the bed with a bowl of stew. She looks into it and picks at it carefully with the wooden spoon, trying to discern exactly what kind of meat seems to be floating in the thick broth. Her stomach rumbles loudly and she decides to try a bite.

It tastes like any other kind of stew she's ever had and she devours it hungrily, finishing it off in minutes. She realizes with a start that's probably the first time she's had any real food in at least 5 days. She sets the bowl down on a small table and thinks on everything she's learned since she arrived in this strange, medieval world. A groan rips from her throat and she decides she can't stay in this cabin and hide forever. She puts the extra jacket she found on and pushes the door open, feet crunching in the snow.

She looks around and doesn't see anyone she knows, so she starts wandering forward. People around her looked on in awe or saluted to her, with their hands over their hearts. She nods to them slightly as her face burns red from the attention. Finally she sees a familiar face crouching next to a fire and she approaches carefully.

"Varric, right?" she questions hesitantly. Of the few people she knows, she's glad to have found the charismatic dwarf. He turns towards her a sly grin.

"Lady Herald! Didn't know if I'd see you again. Did you have a nice nap?"

She rubs the back of her head and gives the dwarf a small smirk. "Could have extended it a few more days, I suppose." She pauses for a moment before realizing he called her Herald instead of her name. "Call me Nikita, please. I'm not a fan of the whole 'Lady Herald' thing," her smile turns apologetic.

"Will do. So now that Cassandra's out of earshot are you holding up alright? I mean, you go from most wanted criminal in Thedas to joining the armies of the faithful. Most people would have spread that out over more than one day," He pauses for a moment. "Plus let's not forget you were tossed into our world without a clue what's going on."

She hums for a moment before replying. "I was sitting on my couch one moment getting ready for bed, and the next thing I know I'm running for my life from demons and psychotic women with pointy swords telling me I'm some sort of Herald to a god I know nothing about. None of this shit should have happened."

Varric belts out a laugh at that. "You don't know the half of it. For days we've been staring at the Breach and watching demons and Maker-knows-what falling out of it. 'Bad for morale' would be an understatement. I still can't believe anyone was in there and lived." He stands from his place in front of the fire and turns toward her. "This must all be a shock to you, not having magic in your world and all."

Nikita scoffs at that, kicking in the snow with her boot. "Magic is the least of it. We don't have elves or dwarves either." She looks down at him meaningfully.

He laughs deep in his chest, drawing some attention from a few soldiers passing by and staring at her like she had two heads. "No dwarves? Sounds like a dreadful place." He snaps suddenly and points at her, laughing. "_That's_ why you asked Chuckles if he was an elf when you first met him! He must have been the first elf you saw."

His laugh dies down and her face blushes red. "As quickly as Cassandra butted in, I'm assuming I made some sort of social faux-pas."

He nods, a smirk seemingly permanent set to his mouth. "They're sort of second-class citizens here. None are in positions of power, no nobles, nothing. Mainly they're servants and slaves. Some live fulfilling enough lives in the Alienage's."

Nikita frowned at that. "Where I come from, elves are only stories." She looks up at the sky grimly. "There are entire series about elves. How beautiful they are, how proficient at magic they are. It's sad that they're reduced to that here."

"Ooh, careful Cherry," he warns with a chuckle. "You're in a position of power. Maybe you can change things for them."

She squints at him playfully and smiles. "What did you just call me?"

"Cherry," he says with a shrug. "I've seen your face turn red at least three times since I've met you."

She stares at him silently for a moment and tries to will the blush away that she feels coming on. She clears her throat and looks around the darkened camp in an attempt to distract herself.

"Better than 'Herald', I guess. So, Cassandra said you were a prisoner too, and yet she said you were free to go. Why haven't you left yet?"

"I like to think I'm as selfish and irresponsible as the next guy, but _this?_ Thousands of people died on that mountain and I was almost one of them. Even I can't just walk away and leave that to sort itself out." His voice sounded grim and he looked at the ground.

She looked to the Breach again and frowned. "We need to close the Breach. The sooner the better. I'm not even from here and I know that."

He chuckled mirthlessly. "If it can be sealed. You might want to consider running at the first opportunity. I've written enough tragedies to recognize where this is going. Heroes are everywhere. I've seen that. But the hole in the sky? That's beyond heroes. We're going to need a miracle." He turned from her.

A lump formed in Nikita's throat and she tried to swallow. "Thanks for the chat Varric. Good night."

"Good night, Cherry."


	3. Training

**Thank you so much for getting this far!**

After stumbling back to her cabin and crawling into the bed, Nikita stared at the ceiling for what seemed like hours before finally falling asleep. What seemed like only minutes later to her, a knock on the door wakes her from her dreamless sleep. She stays in the warm bed, unmoving for a moment, trying to verify if she actually heard someone knock, or if she was dreaming it.

"Lady Her-… Nikita?" It is Rylen's voice speaking, coming through the thick wooden door. Nikita flings the covers off and shivers violently when the air touches her bare feet.

"I'm coming Rylen, give me a moment." Her voice sounds groggy and strange to her own ears. She stands quickly and dashes to the door, opening it and letting Rylen in. The woman is red-faced from the cold and Nikita can see that the sun has barely risen above the horizon.

She closes the door behind Rylen and moves to sit on the bed, holding her face in her hands and trying to wake herself up. She moves to put on her socks and slides her boots on her cold feet soon after. She looks vehemently at the chest across the room from her.

"Give me like… 5 minutes to try to put my damned armor on." She goes to retrieve it and shivers again when the cold metal touches her skin.

It takes her a few tries, and Rylen has to tighten the buckles so that it won't fall off, but Nikita dresses herself and slides her gauntlets on happily. She turns to Rylen, who has produced a piece of bread and some cheese from a pouch on her belt and takes the offered food. Scarfing it down quickly in front of the fire, Nikita begins to warm up.

"We'll be going to the training camp today. We'll get some daggers from the blacksmith, and then I will show you how to use them."

Nikita nods her assent and motions for Rylen to exit the cabin first. They make their way to blacksmith quickly, where Herritt stops them.

"Herald!" He announces proudly, and most of the people in the smithy turn to look at her with amazement. She would have blushed, but she was already red-faced from the cold.

"How does the armor fit?"

Nikita sent Rylen a hurried look and plastered a smile on her face, extending a hand to the smith. "Fantastic, you must be the one who made it for me."

He grasped her forearm, and she clumsily grasped his before he let her go. "I am. Did it real quick, not that it'll make the quality any less." He beamed at her.

Rylen intervened. "Herritt, Ser, Commander Cullen requests two good daggers for the Herald."

He turned to her and smiled. "I've got just what you need." He turned and pulled two off of a rack before presenting them to Nikita. "These are two of the best damn daggers I've made in a long time. That one's even got a fire rune in it."

She sent him a pleased smile and grasped the daggers in her hands, inspecting them closely. They were both shaped like dragons, the one in her left hand was warm to the touch.

Rylen saluted and started steering Nikita the other way. She turned back to the smith and shouted a quick "Thank you!" before turning back to Rylen. She turned them this way and that in her hands, admiring the gleam of metal and the light bouncing off the dragon's heads.

She turned to Rylen and smirked. "You're going to regret giving me these, I think."

Rylen let out a laugh at that and they approached the training grounds, where the upper tier of the military was watching the recruit's progress. She caught sight of the Commander from yesterday and Rylen steered them through the throng of men and women to him. She immediately saluted him and fell back into her grim faced Captains façade.

"Herald," Cullen nodded to her and turned his attention to Rylen, "Report Captain."

"Commander. I've brought the Herald for training. However, upon further thought, I don't believe she should train in the yard with the other men."

"And why is that, Captain?" Another soldier came up to the Commander with something, but Cullen waved him away.

Nikita looked at Rylen curiously. "Ser, she has no weapon training and it wouldn't be good for the troop's morale if they learn that she doesn't know how to fight, Ser."

Cullen inspected her curiously and his eyes flicked back to Nikita. He seemed to think on it for a moment before nodding his assent. "Well thought out, Captain. There's a small break in the trees to the right of the path down the road here. You can train there."

He stared at Nikita for a moment before smirking slightly. "Good luck, Herald." He turned away and said something lowly to the Lieutenant next to him. Nikita narrowed her eyes and found herself fighting off a blush. She turned to Rylen, who was waiting patiently and smirking knowingly.

"Lead on, Rylen." Nikita drawled lazily, not in the mood for the Captain's teasing.

They made their way down a small dirt road, and found the aforementioned break in the trees. It was not big enough to be called a field, but by no means was it small either.

First, Rylen showed her how to stand. Knees bent and spread apart slightly, back straight and daggers in her hands. They had to practice sheathing and unsheathing them from the sheathes on her back, but once Nikita got the hang of it, she was golden.

"Try thinking of the daggers as an extension of your arm. If you don't think of them as an extension, and you think of them as a tool, you're not going to get far."

Nikita was gripping the daggers for dear life, afraid one wrong move and she would cut herself. Rylen adjusted her grip, and told her to keep her wrists loose. After practicing holding them and twirling them around a little experimentally, Rylen decided she was ready for combat training.

They stood apart from each other in defensive positions, Nikita nervously twirling her daggers in her hands and watching Rylen steadily staring her down. "I'm going to come at you now. Try to block my attacks with your daggers, and put me off balance."

She moved quickly, faster than Nikita had expected and lunged towards her, a dagger coming crashing down at her face. Nikita raised her dagger and the force of the blow almost sent her reeling backwards, but she dug her feet in and pushed back, sending Rylen's dagger flying off into the grass. Rylen came at her side with her other dagger and Nikita barely danced out of the way before feeling the dagger slash across her back. She fell face first onto the ground and picked herself up carefully. Adrenaline was pumping through her veins as she reached back and felt her armor for a cut.

There was none, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Very good!" Rylen exclaimed, going to retrieve her other dagger before facing Nikita with a smile. "I know recruits that have done much worse than that. Now let's try again."

They worked for hours. Rylen beating her every time, and Nikita ended up bruised, sore and scratched from the amount of times Rylen's dagger nicked her.

She was currently panting and laying on the cold hard ground, in the first real break they'd had so far. Rylen was watching her curiously.

"You're not as bad as the new blood, Herald. But you've got some improving to do." She smirked broadly when Nikita chucked a rock at her and missed by a mile. "What I was trying to say, _Herald_," she used the title mockingly, "Was that I think you'll do fine out in the field. We'll get you ready for the battlefield yet. You'll do fine." Her smug smile had turned into a genuine one and she offered a hand to help Nikita up.

"I don't think I can survive this training." Nikita wheezed heavily, groaning as she stood up.

Rylen chuckled, "You'll do fine. Now, how about we get some lunch from the tavern, yeah?"

The two left their training ground and made their way up the path to the tavern. Nikita limped slightly, but held her head high and dared anyone to say anything. They arrived at the tavern and pushed the door open, the smell of food, beer, and unwashed bodies hitting her full force in the face. She cleared her throat and tried to keep a disgusted look off of her face, as every head in the room turned towards her and Rylen.

There was silence for a moment and then the chatter resumed, Rylen not missing a beat as she made her way to the lady standing at the bar. Nikita looked around nervously as Rylen ordered, and noticed most of the patrons were looking at her with extreme interest. Nikita felt a blush travel from her face, all the way down to her neck.

Rylen turned towards her with a warm smile and two bowls of steaming hot stew. The woman at the bar offered her two pieces of bread for her to take and she thanked her, turning towards Rylen quickly and whispering in her ear.

"Can we go back to my cabin?" She trailed off for a moment, looking at the patrons eyeing her, "I'm… a little uncomfortable in here."

Rylen looked taken aback before noticing all of the attention on them and nodded her assent. "Of course, Herald." Rylen visibly mentally kicked herself and gave her a small smile. "Nikita. Sorry."

Nikita took a bowl from Rylen and made her way to the cabin quickly, hoping no one would notice her limping gait and slightly bruised face.

She arrived in the cabin and a blast of warm air hit her, warming her numb nose and fingers. She set the bowl down on the table next to the bed and began eating.

"You don't like the attention your position brings you, do you?" Rylen stated curiously, digging into her own food at a much slower pace.

Nikita stopped eating for a moment and regarded the woman sitting across from her. She begins in a quiet voice, "I've never been one to want all the attention on me, so yes. It makes me uncomfortable." She pauses for a moment and dips her bread into her mystery stew. "In my world, I'm nothing special. Just like everyone else. Here? Here, your people have faith in me to save the world. To save the world! How did I go from being ordinary, to the most _extraordinary_ person in your entire world?"

Rylen looks at her contemplatively as Nikita begins eating again, embarrassed by her own feelings on the matter.

"But you weren't ordinary. There's something within you that the Maker saw, and he knew you could save us. That's why he brought you here." Rylen finished, voice rife with emotion.

Nikita looked up at her, realizing once again how much these people depended on her. _Believed_ in her. She sighed. "Can we talk about something else please?"

Rylen nodded and began eating her stew again. "Your accent, I've never heard anything like it."

Nikita looked surprised for a moment, taken aback by the absurdity of it. "I suppose my accent would sound strange to you. In my world, there are people who speak with your accent, but we live on different continents."

"My accent is Ferelden. I was born and raised here, near Denerim. That's the capital. You have… a dwarven accent. Have you noticed?"

Nikita thought on it and realized that Varric and she did indeed have the same speech patterns. She giggled, "I… the only dwarf I've met is Varric, and I can't disprove you there. Have you met a lot of dwarves?" she asked curiously.

Rylen shook her head. "There aren't many surface dwarves, but I have met a few in the markets in Denerim."

Nikita hummed and finished off her stew, setting the bowl where she set the other one the night before. She realized suddenly that it was gone, and thought on the young elven boy and frowned.

"Is something troubling you?" Rylen spoke quietly.

"There's a boy. An elven boy. I don't know his name. He brought me food last night. But he was so afraid of me." She stared at the table forlornly. She looked towards Rylen. "We don't have elves in my world. They're only in stories. Revered as beautiful creatures. Noble. Dignified. Here? They're just slaves and servants. It's sad."

Rylen nodded her agreement, but said no more on the matter. She stood up and motioned towards the door. "I think we've done enough training for the day. We'll let your muscles rest for the rest of the day, and then we'll push you even harder tomorrow." She saluted and left with a mumbled, "Goodnight, Nikita."

The door shut behind her silently and Nikita was left sitting alone, miffed.

She stands with a groan and limps towards the door, assuming Cassandra still wants to see her. She makes her way to the chantry as quickly as she can with her sore leg, and still keep some of her pride intact.

Cassandra was waiting for her at the door. She motioned inside the church and Nikita limped in slowly.

Cassandra followed. "Is that from the training?" She wondered at Nikita. Nikita nodded grimly and looked down as her hand flared a bright green.

"Does it trouble you?" Cassandra asked Nikita, sounding slightly concerned.

Nikita shook her head. "I hardly notice it unless it flares. Then it feels like my nerves are catching on fire."

Cassandra nods at her once. "What's important is your mark is now stable, as is the Breach." She pauses outside of the double doors and looks at Nikita thankfully. "You've given us time. Solas believes a second attempt might succeed-provided the mark has more power. The same level of power used to open the Breach in the first place. That is not easy to come by."

Nikita thinks for a moment. "So we need magic. You have an idea?"

"We do."

Nikita mouths the word we at the back of Cassandra's head as she opens the door in front of them. Nikita sees Commander Cullen in front of her and blushes at her disheveled state before quickly looking around the room to see Leliana, and another woman she had never seen before.

"You've met Commander Cullen. Leader of the Inquisition's forces." Cassandra motioned to Cullen. Nikita smiled what she hoped was charmingly and wrung her hands in front of her.

"We've met a few times briefly." He smiles at her and his eyes twinkle.

Cassandra moves on. "This is Lady Josephine Montiliyet, our Ambassador and Chief Diplomat."

The woman smiles broadly and speaks with an Italian accent. "I've heard much about you. I cannot wait to speak to you further." Her tone speaks volumes about how much she knows about Nikita, but it is not threatening.

"And of course, Sister Leliana." Cassandra finally motions to Leliana, she stands from where she was leading on the wall and moves to the table.

"My degree here involves a measure of…" she pauses to think. Cassandra quickly interrupts.

"She is our spymaster."

Leliana glances at her with a veiled look. "Yes. Tactfully put Cassandra."

Cassandra smiles at her smugly.

Nikita does her best to smile at them. "Pleasure to meet you all formally."

"I mentioned your mark needs more power to close the Breach. For good" Cassandra started.

"Which means we must go to the rebel mages for help." Leliana spoke simply.

Cullen jumped in quickly, looking at Nikita. "I still disagree – the Templars could serve just as well."

Cassandra shared a look with Leliana before looking at Cullen. "We need power Commander, enough magic poured into that mark-"

Cullen interrupted vehemently "Might destroy us all! Templars could weaken the Breach, render it incapable of-"

Leliana jumped in snobbishly, "Pure speculation."

Cullen gave her a sarcastic. _"I_ was a Templar. I know what they're capable of."

Josephine quickly cut in, "Unfortunately, neither group will even speak to us yet. The Chantry has denounced the Inquistion-" she pauses to look at Nikita, "And you. Specifically."

Nikita raised a brow and looked to Josephine. "Can't you just ignore them?" She queried, annoyed at their 'Chantry' already.

"If only that were possible." Leliana says somberly.

"Some are calling you the 'Herald of Andraste', and that title frightens the Chantry. The remaining clerics have declared it blasphemy, and we heretics for harboring you."

A chill goes down Nikita's spine upon the realization that these people were also putting their lives on the line in the hopes she will save their world. Cassandra continues speaking before Nikita can put too much thought into it.

"Chancellor Roderick's doing no doubt."

Josephine nods, her reddish-brown curls bobbing with her. "It limits our options. Approaching the Mages _or_ Templars for help is currently out of the question."

"Just how am I the Herald of Andraste?" Nikita wonders, still stuck on the Chantry wanting to kill her bit.

"People saw what you did at the temple. How you sealed the Breach. There are reports of a woman in the Breach behind you when you came out of it. They think it was Andraste."

"Even if we tried to stop the rumors…" Cassandra started. Leliana interrupted.

"Which we have not."

"There would still be people talking about you." Cassandra gave Leliana a look.

Cullen spoke then, looking towards Nikita with amusement. "It's quite the title, isn't it? How do you feel about that?"

Her heart fluttered and she willed her face not to flush again. "It's a _little_ unsettling." She acquiesced sarcastically.

"I'm sure the Chantry would agree." He smirked.

"People are desperate for a sign of hope. You are what they need." Leliana said passionately. Nikita was still looking at Cullen.

"And to others, a symbol of everything that's gone wrong." Josephine added in somberly.

Nikita scoffed at that, breaking eye contact with Cullen and looking at Josephine. "They're more worried about me than the hole in the sky shitting out demons?"

Cullen's eyebrow was raised and his smirk had faded slightly, "They do know it's a threat, they just don't think we can stop it."

Leliana spoke up, noting the interest between the Commander and Herald. "There is something you can do." A Chantry cleric by the name of mother Giselle wishes to speak to you. She is not far, and knows those involved far better than I. Her assistance could be invaluable."

Nikita raised her brow at Leliana. "You think that's safe? That I could actually talk to her without messing something up?" she glanced around the room. "Should I re-inform you of my 'unique circumstances'?" she air-quoted at the spymaster.

Leliana chuckled at her. "You may be from a different world, but all she wants is to evaluate what kind of person you are. She is a good woman."

"Maybe don't throw that out as a starter though. Got it." Nikita sighed, wringing her hands in front of her and watching Cullen shift out of the corner of her eye. "I'll talk to her."

They continued chatting for a moment, telling her where she would be and how she should continue to try to expand the Inquisitions forces while she's out. They planned the trip for the end of the week, when Nikita finished her weapon training. The group all started to move towards the door and Nikita was the first out. She stayed by the door to wait for Cassandra. Cullen was the first out, then Josephine, Leliana, and finally Cassandra.

Josephine turned towards the door immediately to her right. "If you have a moment, Herald, I wish to speak with you."

Nikita nodded at her and glanced at Cullen, who was making his way through the hall. She mentally slapped herself for checking him out and turned to see Cassandra observing her with an eyebrow raised.

"I-I was just waiting for you." Nikita stammered quickly. Cassandra's eyes flickered to Cullen's retreating form and she smiled lightly at Nikita.

"Did you want to ask me something?"

Nikita's face was warm from the fierce blush painting her face. "Y-yes I was wondering if you would come with me to get Mother Giselle. I'm not experienced with the land and you're very good at fighting…" She paused at the realization she was babbling. She cleared her throat.

Cassandra's polite smile never wavered. "Of course, Herald. If that is what you wish." She sauntered off in another direction.

Nikita mentally slapped herself. What was wrong with her? She rubbed her hands on her face. The stress must be getting to her, she reasoned, and pushed open the door Josephine had just gone into.

There was a man inside who was openly arguing with the diplomat. Nikita's face was still flushed and she felt a wave of embarrassment at barging into the room without knocking.

"The Inquisition cannot remain Ambassador, if you can't prove it was founded on Justinia's orders!" The man shouted in a thick French accent.

"This is an inopportune time, Marquis. More of the faithful flock here every day. But allow me to introduce the Brave soul who risked her life to slow the magic of the breach. Lady Nikita, may I present Marquis DuRellion, one of Divine Justinia's greatest supporters."

"And the rightful owner of Haven!" the Marquis piped in, gesturing wildly. "House DuRellion lent Justinia these lands for a pilgrimage. This 'Inquisition' is not a beneficiary of this arrangement." He spat at Nikita.

Nikita raised a brow and looked to Josephine, who motioned towards the Marquis with her eyes.

"Marquis, if I may, the Divine's Right and Left Hands founded the Inquisition." She hoped she worded that right.

"I've seen no written record from Sister Leliana or Seeker Pentaghast that Justinia approved the Inquisition!"

"If he won't take her at her word," Josephine sad sadly with a look at Nikita, "Then I'm afraid Seeker Pentaghast must challenge him to a duel." Nikita smirked, unable to tell if she was joking or not.

"What?!" The Marquis exclaimed.

"It is a matter of honor among the Nevar. Shall I arrange it for tomorrow night?" Josephine said, looking at her clipboard.

"No no perhaps my first impression of the Inquisition was somewhat hasty." He conceded quickly.

"We face a dark time, Your Grace. Divine Justinia wouldn't want her passing to divide us. In fact, she would trust us to forge new alliances to the benefit of all. No matter how strange they might seem."

Nikita glanced at Josephine with amazement. She was good with words.

The Marquis sighed, placing his masked face in the palm of his hand. "I'll think on it My Lady. In the meantime, the Inquisition might stay."

He walked out quietly. Nikita turned to look at Josephine. "I'm sorry for interrupting. I didn't realize anyone was in here but you."

"You did little harm." Josephine waved her off and made her way to her desk. "In truth the debate was most beneficial." She sat down and looked at her expectantly.

"I'm glad you're here then, if only so I don't have to deal with people like that. We're lucky to have you."

Josephine smiled at her. "I wanted to talk to you about your origins."

Nikita looked at the ceiling. "What can I tell you?"

"Is it true you came from another world?"

Nikita squinted at the question. "Yes. I don't know who I'm supposed to be telling that. I assume Cassandra told you? Or Leliana. Maybe Cullen?" she listed off.

Josephine chuckled. "It seems I am the last to know. Unfortunate, but sometimes it happens." She shrugs. "Cassandra was worried about telling others that as well, afraid that might inspire fear in the followers. I've drawn up a background for you, if you would tell people when they ask your origins."

Nikita nodded. "Makes sense. What am I supposed to be saying?"

Josephine looked pleased. "Your name will stay the same, Nikita. You were born in a small town outside of Starkhaven, in the Free Marches. When you came of age you joined a small mercenary band. You were hired before the Conclave for protection. That is why you were at the Temple of Sacred Ashes. Is that too much for you to remember?"

Nikita chanted it a few times in her head. "Mercenary from outside of Starkhaven in the Free Marches. The Free Marches, isn't Varric from there?"

Josephine nodded. "It was a pleasure meeting you Lady Nikita, now I have a lot of work to do before the day is done."

And with that Nikita was dismissed, once again left to her own devices in the camp. She decided to walk around, much to the displeasure of the sore muscles in her left leg. She left the church, and nearly reveled in the cold air hitting her face. It soothed the burning of her cheeks and left her feeling more alive. She saw Leliana in a tent straight outside the door and went to talk to her, hoping to get a clearer picture on her personality.

Upon further inspection, Leliana was kneeling and praying out loud. "Blessed are the peacekeepers. The Champions of the just. Blessed are the lights in the shadow. In their blood the Makers will is written." She paused, and to herself she added. "Is that what you want from us? Blood? To die? Is death your only blessing?" She turned to Nikita, angry. "You speak for Andraste, no? What does the Maker's prophet have to say about all of this? What's his game?"

"I can't speak for the powers that put me here Leliana. I don't have any of the answers." She replied softly, trying not to invoke the woman's wrath.

"Then we can only guess what _He _wants." She speaks vehemently. "The Chantry teaches us that the Maker abandoned us. So we give him everything. Our lives. Our deaths." She walks angrily to the front of the tent and looks Nikita in the face. "Justinia gave Him everything she had. And He let her _die!_" She spat.

"I'm sorry. She must have meant a lot to you." Nikita wonders to herself how she manages to walk into one mess right after another.

"Not just me. All of us. She was the _Divine._ She led the faithful. She was their heart. If He wouldn't save His most faithful, what will He do?" She scoffs at herself. "I used to think I was chosen. But now Justinia is dead. And it was all for nothing. Serving the Maker meant nothing."

Nikita frowned and kicked at the ground with the toe of her boot. "You can't give up hope when you need it most, Leliana. Things have to get better. I must have been sent here for a reason, right?" Leliana looks at her somberly, pain etched in her delicate features.

"This is my burden. I regret that I ever showed you this weakness."

And with that she left. Nikita made her way down towards where Varric was, only to find him in the same place as before.

"Do you ever move?" She jested to him. He turned towards her and stood, raising his arms in welcome.

"Sometimes, when I want to feel my toes I make my way down to the Tavern, otherwise lately, no." He joked smoothly. Nikita chuckled.

"So, what did Cassandra want earlier?"

Nikita looked at him, surprised, "How did you know about that?"

He shrugged. "I have my ways, Cherry."

Nikita looked around her conspiratorially, "They wanted me to make decisions about Chantry stuff and pick the mages or Templars. I think I got away from making a decision about that for now. Blech. Then they sent me on an errand, where I'm sure I'll have to prove my nonexistent weapons skills, but don't tell anybody that." She waved her hand at him as he chuckled. "Hey, want to come along? Cassandra and I are going already, but I'd like someone else to watch my back and make sure I don't die," she shrugged nonchalantly.

Varric looked over at his crossbow and shrugged. "You know, you remind me of my friend Hawke." He chuckled. "She was always dragging me into hell too. Real sarcastic; fun to be around." He looked at her for a moment, then nodded. "Why the hell not? I'll come with you Cherry, if only to protect you from Cassandra."

Nikita laughed at that. "She can't be worse than the _demons._"

Varric chuckled, "You say that now, but remember that next time you can feel her silent disapproval behind your back."

Nikita shuffled her feet and noticed a tear in the leg of her pants. "Aw man. How shitty do I look right now, be honest." She could feel the skin on her face beginning to grow warm and her thoughts flickered to the handsome Commander's face. She mentally kicked herself.

Varric contemplated her for a moment. "Hmm. Well I'd definitely say you were beat up. By the looks of it from someone with pointy objects."

"And lost pretty badly," Nikita conceded with a smile. Holding out her pant leg as an example. She flopped on the ground next to Varric with her legs crossed, looking towards the fire. "Captain Rylen is training me. I didn't realize when I started she was going to beat the shit out of me."

Varric chuckled at her and she picked at the hole on her pants leg. "They'll do that to you."

Nikita glanced up at him with a smile. "They had to cook up a background for me, so word doesn't get out that 'The Herald' isn't from Thedas."

Varric looked at her with a sly grin. "And just where are you from now Cherry?"

She pondered it for a moment, trying to recall the exact words. "I'm a mercenary who grew up near… Starkhaven? In The Free Marches."

Varric chuckled lowly. "You know, I know the Prince of Starkhaven pretty closely. He used to run around with Hawke and her friends."

Nikita raised her eyebrows in surprise. "_You_ know a Prince?"

"Don't look so surprised. Hawke and I were thick as thieves for ten years, and she met all sorts of interesting characters." He went into his tent and retrieved a bottle, taking a healthy swig. "The Champion of Kirkwall. That's what they called her."

"Tell me about your friend. You said I reminded you of her earlier."

Varric chuckled before taking another swig out of his bottle. "You got anywhere to be? It's a _long_ story." He offered her a drink.

She wiped her hands on her pants and took the bottle, taking a small sip. Bitterness exploded on her tongue and she grimaced and handed it back. Varric laughed heartily.

"Not so much huh? I got it as a gift from a friend. Aggregio. Drinks the shit all the time." He takes another drag and begins. "How much have you heard about the Blight in Ferelden?"

"I got a brief background of the 'Mage Templar' war, but I don't know what a Blight is. Something bad?"

Varric nods, offering the bottle to her once more. She takes it and, prepared for the taste, takes a healthy swig. "They say that long ago the mages found a way into the Makers city in the Fade."

"Hence the distrust, yeah I got that from Cassandra." She motions for him to continue and offers the bottle to him. He takes it and swirls it in his hands as he searches for the words.

"Because of this, the ancient Magisters," He pauses and glances at her, "the mages that rule the Tevinter Imperium, and all humanity were cursed with a Blight, and they were turned into the first Darkspawn. Every few hundred years, the Darkspawn infect an Old God, a type of dragon that the Tevinters worshipped, and a Blight begins. The Blight poisons the land, kills the crops, poisons the animals and turns them into horrible versions of themselves." He glanced at Nikita and takes a swig.

"I never saw any of it myself, but Hawke did. About 11 years ago there was a Blight, right here in Ferelden. Hawke had to pick up her family and move…"

And so he told her the story of the Champion of Kirkwall. He spun the tale of how the Hero went from rags to riches and singlehandedly delivered Kirkwall through its tragedies. How she fell in love with her elven companion, and how the Knight-Commander went crazy from something they called 'Lyrium'.

"Wait. Wait wait wait wait. So you're telling me, that your _friend_ blew up the city, and they tried to kill _all_ of the mages? Not just the one guy?" Nikita slurred. She and Varric had downed most of the bottle and several hours later they were still going at it. The sun was setting over the horizon and most of the camp was beginning to stir, walking back from the day's duties and to the tavern, or their beds.

Varric nodded, handling his liquor far better than Nikita. "If it weren't for Hawke and Curly, I don't know that there was anyone else qualified to handle a mess like that."

"Who the hell is _Curly_?" Nikita chuckled.

Varric's smile widened and he winked at her. "Our esteemed Commander Cullen, leader of the Inquisitions forces."

Nikita felt her face heat up and groaned, taking another swig. Varric chuckled knowingly.

"He is… attractive," she conceded quietly. She waved her hand at him. "Who am I kidding though, this place? Total shit storm. I walk out of one mess and into another."

Varric laughed loudly. "At least you walk out! You've either got the best luck in the world, or the worst."

She raised the bottle at him and downed another mouthful. "I'll drink to that." She looked at the contents of the bottle and handed him the rest. "Hey, sorry for drinking all your booze. It wasn't so bad after the first few mouthfuls."

Varric chuckled. "It tastes better the drunker you get. Don't worry about it, I'd been saving it for a special occasion." He raised the bottle and downed the remainder. "To new friends."


End file.
